(o9) He's Got That Crooked Smile (Black Butler) His Soulmate, Babysitting

When Lila awoke the next morning, she was in the bed alone. The curtains were opened and the sky was grey outside. It had stopped snowing, but for how long? It had been a few days since Soma and Agni began staying in Ciel's townhouse and because Soma took Lila's bed, she was still sleeping in Sebastian's room, though it was not as uncomofrtable as she thought it might be.

During this time, she had got to know Sebastian more, the things he did, the way he smelled and the way he always smiled, though his smiles seemed fake, Lila didn't say anything to him. Things have been lively in the townhouse lately, but with Ciel being the Queen's gaurd dog, it was to be expected.

A pleasant aroma was drifting through the townhouse and had LIla heading for the kitchen where she met Finny, Meirin and Bard, who were also drawn to the smell "Something smells really good!" Lila exclaimed, hurrying forward to the stove where Sebastian was cooking. "What is it?"

"Chicken curry." Sebastian answered, holding out a plate to Lila and they proceeded to bring the curry to the dining hall where Ciel was sitting (looking thoroughly annoyed) with Soma.

Sebastian set a plate down in front of Ciel and Lila set a plate down in front of Soma, who promptly shoved a spoonful in his mouth. "Yuck!" Sebastian frowned. "Was it not to your liking?" Soma flinched and began sputteirng nonsense. Lila picked up Soma's spoon, not caring that it was in his mouth, and ate a bit of curry.

"I think it tastes good."

"No." Soma quickly disagreed. "The flavor is weak and there's no aroma. Not to mention the texture, this doesn't count as curry."

"How strange... I even used the best curry powder avalible.."

"What is curry powder?" Soma questioned looked very confused. Sebastian went on to explain how curry powder was a blend of different spices that were ground together before being packaged and sold. "I have never seen anything like that in India and Agni didn't use it either, as far as I know. You must use fresh spices to make perfect curry!"

"I fear we are running a little low on time. We must find some traders..." With that said everyone turned to look at Lau who was the branch manager of a trading company. While Ciel and Sebastian talked business with Lau, Lila took Soma into the kitchen to make him something to eat, because he didn't like Sebastian's curry.

"What would you like to eat, Soma?" Lila questioned.

"Agni's curry." He replied, pouting a little. It was very clear that Agni meant a lot to Soma, he was basically helpless without him. "I don't know how to make curry, but I could prepare you some eggs, if you wish?"

Soma reluctantly agreed and sat at the table, watching Lila as she scurried around the kitchen, collecting eggs and a frying pan. Soma waited inpatiently for the eggs to be cooked and when they were, he immediately dug in.

"What do you think?" Lila asked nervously, picking apart her toast with slender fingers. Soma chewed for a bit before he swallowed and made a face. "I don't like it. You used to much salt and pepper, and you've burned them!"

Lila's eyes began twitching while she listened to Soma critisizing the food she worked very hard to make for him. It wasn't her fault she grew up with butlers and maids and never learned to cook for herself. Sebastian was trying to teach her whenever he had time for himself, the most basic thing Lila could make was scrambled eggs and when she made them for Sebastian, he said they were delicious.

"If you don't like it, then you can starve because I'm not making you anything else you spoiled brat!" She nearly shrieked, causing Soma to stop abruptly. "I'm sorry I'm not Mister Agni! Cook for yourself if you think you can do better!"

Lila turned around and walked from the kitchen with her face slightly pink. She didn't remember the last time she yelled at someone. Angelina always told her to keep her temper in check and to always be polite, even if people weren't polite to you.

But Angelina was gone now and Lila was a proper lady. She didn't need a parent to tell her how to behave. She was perfectly capable of looking after herself, with the help of Sebastian, who was teaching her how to cook for herself (something she was very sensative about).

She didn't care if Ciel had ordered her to babysit Soma, she was going to the bedroom Soma took from her for a nice, hot bath. She passed an enthusiastic Finny on the way and completely ignored him as she grumbled to herself.

She slammed her bedroom door and took a chair to put underneath the door handle so Soma wouldn't be able to get back inside. All of her clothes was still in the armoire, as well as her toliettries in the bathroom, so she rid herself of her dress, grabbed a nice lilac dress from her armoire and put on her bathrobe before she began preparing a bath filled with hot water, and a little bit of cold water, and also some pretty smelling oils before she stripped down and gingerly eased herself into the water, moaning in delight when it began to relax her tense muscles.

The tips of her pale blonde hair grazed the water as she sat with back straight, but gradually began to lower her body until her back met the porcelain of the bath tub and her mouth and nose went underneath the water, lazily making bubbles when she breathed out of her nose.

After nearly ten minutes of just relaxing, Lila began to scrub some shampoo into her blonde tresses and lathered her body with soap. She didn't bother getting out of the bath until she heard loud raps on her door.

She quickly rinsed her hair and drained the bathtub before she threw on her bathrobe and scurried over to the bedroom door, nearly slipping as she did so, she grabbed the chair to stop herself and pulled it out form under the door handle.

Almost immediately the door opened and Lila was greeted by a worried-looking Sebastian. "What have you been doing in here? Soma told me you ran off because he wouldn't eat your cooking..." Lila's normally kind green eyes turned icy at the mention of Soma's name and her cooking. She turned her back to Sebastian and walked more slowly to the bathroom, where she shut the door and dried herself off with a towel.

"It's not my fault that my cooking is terrible! I'm just learning, doesn't he know that!?" She grumbled agirly to herself as she changed into the lilac dress and tied her long blonde hair up in a ponytail, she would hold it in front of the fire and hopefully it would dry faster, she'd just have to be careful, Sebastian might not be able to put of her hair this time...

"Why would you assume he knew you couldn't cook?" Sebastian asked when Lila left the bathroom and went to hold her hair in front of the crackling fire. He moved closer to her in case her hair caught fire again. "He doesn't know you. He doesn't know any of us."

"He said he and Ciel were acquinted just before he stole my bedroom." Lila objected, shaking her hair to dry it faster. "That was different. Bocchan and I were looking into a matter for Her Highness and things were a little difficult in the East End. That is where we met Soma and Mister Agni, they were looking for that girl."

"But why does he have to stay here?" Lila didn't care if she sounded like she was whining, ever since Mister Angi left Soma has been acting more like a spoiled brat then usual and it was getting on her last nerve. Nothing Sebastian made seemed to satisfy his taste, the only way he remained happy was when he was complaining about something.

Lila would be glad when this curry contest was over, when Soma and Agni would return to India and when Lila would be able to go back to the manor in the forest; She was very much starting to dislike the city and all of it's drama.

"Will you come downstairs now? Soma has eaten and is considerably less whiny then he was this morning." Sebastian held out a gloved hand to Lila, who accepted it without hesitation and allowed Sebastian to led her back down the stairs and into the drawing room, where Ciel was trying to teach Soma how to play chess.

"Where have you been? I thought I told you to babysit him? Because he was left alone, I now have to teach him how to play chess!"

"I was in the bath." Lila said honestly, with a small smile. "But it looks as thought you're enjoying yourself, Young Master Ciel."

Ciel immediately looked flustered and began complaining about having to teach Soma the rules of chess. Lila rolled her eyes and cleared her throat, both Ciel and Soma looked up at her. "Soma, when you are done playing with the Young Master, I will show you to your new room."

"But... but I like my room..." Soma replied, his lower lip was begining to pull down in a pout. "I know you do. And I did too, before you stole it from me. So when you are finished playing with the Young Master, I will show you to your new room." Lila repeated, smiling.

Soma stared at her for a minute before his eyes travelled to Sebastian, who was standing a little behind Lila. Soma let out a little whimper before he nodded his head so hard, his large golden earring nearly got tangled in his long purple hair.

"Good." She proceeded to the dining room to help Meirin set the table for lunch. Sebastian was a little disappointed that Lila would no longer be sleeping in his room, in his bed, next to him, but he had to admit, this new assertive Lila made his trousers a little bit tighter.